New! Raising the Bar: Behaviour, Standards & Public Trust in Local Councils Seminar – In Person – October 26th 9.30am – 3.30pm
Raising the Bar: Behaviour, Standards & Public Trust in Local Councils
Why This Seminar Matters Now
Standards in public life remain a significant challenge across local government. Recent calls from the National Association of Local Councils (NALC) highlight growing concerns around councillor conduct, bullying, harassment, intimidation, and the limitations of the current standards framework. NALC has urged the Government to bring forward standards reforms, warning that poor behaviour can undermine public trust, make it harder to retain councillors and staff, and discourage people from entering public service.
As councils face increasing responsibilities and heightened public scrutiny, creating healthy council cultures and maintaining high standards of conduct has never been more important. This seminar goes beyond compliance and procedure to explore the practical behaviours, leadership approaches and governance frameworks that help councils build trust, prevent conflict and work more effectively together.
We welcome guest speakers:
- Jane Moore, Senior solicitor and legal manager, NALC
- Sharon Bridglalsingh, Director, Law and Governance, MKCC
- Peter Brown, Head of Democratic Services, MKCC
- Monitoring Officers and Legal & Democratic Services Buckinghamshire Council
- Becky Walsh, Founder, Council Culture, Council Behaviour, Culture and Communications Specialist
What makes a council truly effective?
Strong governance, clear standards, and robust procedures are essential, but lasting public trust is built through behaviour, culture, and leadership.
Join BMKALC for this engaging one-day seminar exploring how councils can strengthen standards, foster respectful working relationships, and create positive cultures that support effective decision-making.
Bringing together councillors, clerks, monitoring officers, legal professionals and sector specialists, the event will provide practical insight into:
- The Nolan Principles in practice
- Common causes of standards complaints
- Social media, interests, and predetermination
- Member and officer relationships
- Managing difficult behaviours and conflict
- Building positive council cultures
- Strengthening public confidence
Through expert presentations, panel discussions, and interactive case studies, delegates will leave better equipped to navigate today’s challenges while raising standards across their councils.
Who should attend?
- Town and Parish Councillors
- Clerks and Deputy Clerks
- Council Chairs and Vice-Chairs
A practical, insightful, and thought-provoking day focused on strengthening behaviour, governance, and public trust.
Raising the Bar: Behaviour, Standards & Public Trust in Local Councils Programme
| Time | Agenda | Presenter |
| 09:30 – 10:00 | Arrival, Registration & Refreshments | |
| 10:00 – 10:15 | Welcome & Setting the Scene
|
Mel Woof, CEO, BMKALC |
| 10:15 – 11:15 | The Nolan Principles in Practice: Where Things Go Wrong
Exploring:
Includes:
Takeaway: Understanding how seemingly small issues can escalate into formal complaints. |
Sharon Director, Law and Governance, MKCC & Peter Brown, Head of Democratic Services, MKCC |
| 11:15 – 11:30 | Reflection & Q&A
|
|
| 11:30 – 11:45 | Refreshment Break | |
| 11:45 – 12:45 | Practical Session: The Pitfalls That Catch Councillors Out
Exploring:
Format:
Takeaway: How to recognise and avoid high-risk behaviours. |
Monitoring Officers and Legal & Democratic Services Buckinghamshire Council |
| 12:45 – 13:00 | Panel Discussion: What Monitoring Officers See Most Often
Panel:
Discussion:
Takeaway: Practical insights from those handling standards concerns. |
|
| 13:45 – 14:45 | Handling Difficult Situations & Preventing Escalation
A Culture & Behaviour Approach While standards frameworks provide the structure, behaviour and communication ultimately determine whether councils thrive or struggle. This highly engaging and practical session explores the psychology behind conflict and what councillors, clerks and council leaders can do to prevent difficult situations from escalating. Personal Standards
Leadership Standards
Business Standards
Takeaway: Practical tools to improve communication, reduce conflict and strengthen collaborative leadership. |
Becky Walsh, Founder, Council Culture |
| 14:45 – 15:00 | Refreshment Break | |
| 15:00 – 15:20 | Closing Keynote
Raising Standards: Creating a Positive Council Culture Drawing together the learning from the day, Becky will explore how lasting standards are shaped not only by procedures and codes of conduct, but by the behaviours people choose to model every day. Focus Areas
Takeaway: A positive and inspiring call to action that empowers councils to create stronger cultures, stronger relationships, and greater public confidence. |
Becky Walsh, Founder, Council Culture |
| 15:20 – 15:30 | Closing Remarks & Next Steps | Mel Woof, CEO, BMKALC |
Running time: 10am to 3.30pm
Venue: Oculus, The Gateway Conference Centre, Aylesbury
Onsite parking: Free
Cancellation: A full refund will be given if 14 days or more notice prior to the date of the training course is given. However, this could cause an event to be cancelled if it becomes uneconomic to run.
Members £110 per ticket which includes refreshments and a light lunch
Associate County Association Members: £110 per ticket
Non-members £220 per ticket
